The Glenn Beck "Back to Drivel Tour"

Less than two weeks ago, right-wing radio talk show personality Glenn Beck found himself a something he could use on his show. The rape of a young girl. For those who don't know the story, allow me to give you the short version. Earlier this year, a mentally handicapped, 16-year-old was allegedly raped at Mifflin High School in Columbus, Ohio. The perpetrators were fellow students. The police officer normally assigned to the school was at a training session. The father of the student was called and after he arrived was apprised of the situation. The father then asked if 911 had been called. The administrator told the father they had not called 911 and asked the father to not call 911 either as it would alert media attention to his daughter's victimization. They requested that he call one of the police's non-emergency numbers to keep the media from further victimizing this girl.

Right thing to do? Probably not. In my opinion, and with the advantage of hindsight, they probably should have called 911 immediately. While I can understand that they did not want this child to be further victimized by the media... a rape needs immediate attention. Adult rape victims oftentimes will not report their rape because they would prefer not to repeatedly relive the crime which was perpetrated against them. According to the Department of Justice, "Most rapes and sexual assaults were not reported to the police. Sixty-three percent of completed rapes, 65% of attempted rapes, and 74% of completed and attempted sexual assaults against females were not reported to the police." But, the law regarding what these administrators should have done is quite clear in my opinion. Call the police immediately.

They did not and the Columbus Board of Education chose to punish them for their lack of action. The principal was fired and the three other administrators who were involved were suspended and then moved to administrative positions in which they were not in contact with students any longer. Glenn Beck doesn't think that punishment is severe enough. Fine by me... get upset with those who made this punishment decision and rail about it all you like. Get angry that the administrators' decision was hugely mistaken even if their desire to not see this girl further vicitmized by the media was right-hearted. Maybe even rail against these juvenile rapists or the parents who "raised them." That makes sense.

But, Glenn Beck didn't do that.

Glenn Beck knows that attacking the elected members of the Columbus Board of Education is a worthless endeavor for his right-wing ideology. These board members have no real political aspirations beyond the school board and Beck is keenly aware of that. Attacking the rapists isn't good for him either because the rapists and their parents will never really do much of anything for society let alone change the country or the State of Ohio. Even going after the administrators was secondary on his list of ways to exploit this girl's victimization. So, what did he do instead?

He chose instead to attack Columbus Mayor Democrat Michael Coleman and shill for charter school vouchers. How does a rape translate into school vouchers? No one except Beck seems to know how. Here in Ohio, the citizens elected school boards to run their public schools. But, why go after the elected officials in charge of the schools when there is a strong Democratic hopeful for the 2006 Ohio gubernatorial race? So, Beck proceeded to bait Coleman into calling him on his radio show and then berated him up one side and down the other. He repeatedly badgered him, and I paraphrase, "as a man do you think this punishment was severe enough?" Coleman took his words as an assault on his manhood during the harried shouting that was going on by this time and told Beck not to question his manhood. Beck decided that this was just too great an opportunity to attack a strong Democratic contender for Ohio's governor's race. So, ot of his "deep concern" for this girl, he decided he'd come to Columbus, Ohio on his one-stop "I'm Not Questioning Your Manhood Tour" to attack and berate the Columbus mayor some more.

Now, it is highly unlikely that the crowd which filled the seats of his little speach had more than a handful of actual Columbus residents in it. Undoubtedly it was filled with those from Powell and Dublin and New Albany where the residents are far more likely to agree with anything that a right-wing shill like Beck has to say. They clamored for him and Beck railed about Coleman and then went back on his show to say how deeply this had affected him.

Fast-forward to a week later. Beck has forgotten about Columbus and this girl. He had made the sound bites the Republicans will need and use in the 2006 campaign. He had gotten what he and his fellow right-wing media whores needed and the subject was all used up. What was he talking about the past three times I've heard him? 1) Tom Cruise and his vacations with whoever his current girlfriend is and how they stayed in the same hotel Cruise has stayed in with previous girlfriends; 2) the price of gasoline; and, 3) Rudy Giuliani.

Beck proved those administrators right in at least one way. He turned this girl's rape and beating into a media circus for his own political agenda. And, now that he's used and abused her a second time for his own purposes, he's forgotten all about her (not to imply that he ever really cared one whit about the girl in the first place). He's back to his "fusion of entertainment and enlightenment" spewing more drivel than ever.

How sick is it that people egged this guy on to re-rape this girl by using her victimization this way? How on Earth can 610 WTVN, the station Beck is offered on in Columbus, defend this guy and his actions let alone deny that they are a right-wing media outlet?

Glenn Beck fools a lot of people. He proffers that he isn't beholden to any political ideology. But, if you buy that line then that's why I'm way smarter than you.